F1 News

Alesi tells Sauber to ignore Jordan's selling advice

Earlier, after the struggling Swiss team dropped behind backmarker Marussia in the 2014 constructors' standings, Jordan said 70-year-old Sauber should acknowledge reality and join him in retirement by selling up.

When asked about Sauber's situation, Frenchman Alesi - who drove for the Hinwil outfit in the late 90s and also for Jordan before retiring in 2001 - said: "I don't think Peter Sauber needs advice.

"But I think that for Eddie Jordan, formula one was a business, but for Sauber, above all it is a passion," he told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

"And you don't just quit after more than twenty years. So I think he needs to keep pushing," said Alesi, 49.

However, Alesi thinks part of Sauber's problem in 2014 is sitting behind the wheel of the grey cars.

"Each team that has to go with pay-drivers for financial reasons eventually will have serious trouble," he said.

"Peter needs to find the right balance, because in 2013 there were still great results when Nico Hulkenberg was driving," added Alesi.